Can First Nations Save Canada’s Resource Industries?

The Kinder Morgan pipeline, like 263 court decisions before it, went in favour of the First Nations that opposed the project. One court decision after another is shaping the way Canada can and does develop its resources. The failure of governments and corporations to embrace First Nations as full partners is putting the brakes on development and it is impacting Canada’s reputation as an investment environment.

Joe Dion, the CEO of the Frog Lake First Nation Energy Resource Corporation has a plan – a plan he shared with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a First Nations Energy Strategy framed as a treaty between the Government of Canada and indigenous peoples. A treaty that will reopen the door to resource development.

To do so, he says it’s time to create ownership opportunities that provide First Nations access to economic opportunities that will create ownership, employment, funds for education and clean water, and will combat poverty.

We invited Joe Dion, the CEO of the Frog Lake First Nation Energy Corporation, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about his plan to unlocking the log jam of court cases and open a path to reconciliation.

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Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Dialogue presents Conversations That Matter. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for an important and engaging Conversation about the issues shaping our future